I’ve seen opinions on the internet that the Western Star 5700XE is a luxury Freightliner. That said, some Cascadia owners say they like their vehicle better. Of course every driver has an attachment to their tractor. But Western Star 5700XE is not rare on American roads, and there are reasons for that.
It’s a conventional, aerodynamic tractor. Sixty-five percent of the tractors in service in the United States today fall into this category. Maybe they are not as spectacular as classic conventional tractors, but they are more comfortable in operation. The truck is assembled in North Carolina and is technically unified with Mercedes Actros. Both trucks belong to the Daimler concern.
By the way, the designation XE means Extreme Efficience. Compared to the 4900 model, the fuel economy of this truck has improved by 15%. And it is this truck that became Optimus Prime in the movie about Transformers – The Last Knight.
Western Star 5700XE price and sale.
In looking around the classifieds on Truck Paper, I saw the following offers. In Texas, a 2020 Western Star 5700 with 500,351 miles and a Detroit Diesel engine is for sale for $62,900. In Nebraska, a 5700XE with 407,000 miles on it with a 600hp Detroit engine is for sale for $59,900. In Iowa, a Western Star with 248,903 miles is for sale for $123,900. In the latter case, the trac is equipped with a Western Star engine rated at 505 horsepower.
Appearance and photos.
On most Western Star 5700XE tractors, the fuel tanks are covered by fairings. This alone improves fuel economy by 6%. This technique is not unique and was used on Kenworth T600 in the 80s. But this solution really affects fuel consumption. Although some drivers, who want to emphasize the stylishness of their truck, remove the fairings and leave the tanks open.
Just from the photo you can notice that the width of the cabin is almost the same as the sleeper compartment. The 5700XE is much wider than classic tractors like Peterbilt 389, or Kenworth W900. But these are completely different tractors and the owners of the above-mentioned tractors have enough width of their cabs.
This is aerodynamic tractor, but the edges of the body are not rounded, but sharp. The cabin is finished with a lot of shiny elements. There are chrome side mirror housings, partially chrome mirrors and a large, chrome grille. Also note the shiny air intake trim, in the side parts of the hood.
A little above the emblem you can see a handle. The latter can be pulled and thus opens access to the engine.
Pay attention to the shape of the window in the right door – it is not square and not rectangular. This is how Western Star has modernized this classic detail. You can see from the photo that the windshield is quite vertical. This not only affects the aerodynamics, but also contributes to dirt.
Interior and equipment.
Once inside the cabin of the Western Star 5700XE, many people notice that the steering wheel is the same as on the Freightliner Cascadia.
The rim of the steering wheel is covered with leather, adjustable in angle and in reach. There are control buttons on it; – cruise control, lighting devices (headlights), music system volume. Of course, the steering wheel is decorated with the Western Star logo. Front seats are installed on a pneumatic cushion, and the driver’s seat has a memory of three positions.
Many people pay attention to the trim of the front panel and door trim – wood. In fact, it is plastic imitating wood, but it looks not bad. Compared to the Cascadia, the doors are quite thin. Some drivers don’t like that. This is partly due to the Western Star’s flatter, body panels.
The front panel at the top is quite narrow and short, so it’s not convenient to use as a table. Also, not everyone likes that the boxes above the windshield aren’t very roomy compared to other tracs.
The Western Star track has a completely flat floor and many drivers like that. As with other, aerodynamic tractors, there is quite a bit of space between the front seats, making it easy to get to the sleeper compartment. The sleeper compartment itself can be fitted with a large glass window. Of course there’s a microwave, refrigerator, and climate control.
Western Star 5700XE engine and specs.
Detroit Diesel 15 has a power of 400 horsepower and torque of 2370N.M. The more powerful version of Detroit Diesel DD16 produces 600 horsepower. The least powerful modification of this power unit – DD13 is well suited for not too long, regional transportation.
Unlike the Kenworth T680, where the manufacturer increased the slope of the hood and moved to the rear of the engine. In Western Star the expansion tank of the cooling system is installed in the front, but not above the radiator level.
The air filter housing has not round, but more rectangular shape and is rounded above the valve cover. This is not an ordinary solution, I don’t remember to have seen it on other tractors. Under the hood you can see a plastic neck with a yellow cap. This is where the washer fluid is filled. Next to this neck there is a closed box with a fuse box.
Suspension includes pneumatic elements, and most of the tractors are equipped with manual gearboxes without synchronizers.
In terms of technical equipment Western Star is similar to other, American tractors.
Probably it is impossible to say that Western Star has some unusual technical solutions. But such a machine can be liked by a driver who wants to stand out. Still, there are fewer of these tractors on the road than Freightliner or Peterbilt. This is an economical truck with good aerodynamics, but the body panels of this machine are more rectangular than most competitors. This suggests some similarity with classics, although the exhaust pipes of this machine are taken out under the bottom. The last decision is again a norm for cars of this segment.
Perhaps Western Star will appeal to those who like classic trucks, but who want to get more convenience. But in this case, it is worth to pay attention to the new Kenworth W990.
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